Wounded
by B.Logan
Summary: Some times you can't see the hurt.


**Sincere thanks, for all the wonderful feedback. Your criticisms have been noted, and corrections have been made. I will endeavor to do better and try a beta reader for everyone enjoyment.**

**I am not a writer but this show may have turned me into one. Please don't make me beg for reviews. Oh damn see I just did it. Please review good orbad, I can take it …make me a better writer.**

**Disclaimer**: Like everyone here I do not claim to own anything. I don't claim ownership of the characters, the show, or anything else.

Josh was upstairs freshly showered, towel around his waist, preparing for a date with Nora. Leaning forward and peering into the mirror, he rubbed his perpetual 5 o'clock shadow and wondered why he should bother shaving at all. It seemed to him that the story of his life was destined to be a tragedy of the hairy wolf man.

He almost laughed inwardly at that thought. Truth was ever since the attack that changed his life, Josh felt like damaged goods; he was in constant fear of hurting himself or others, he was unable to enjoy a normal life. Surely Sally would scold him for that last thought, quick to point out that at least he was still alive and had a chance to live.

As he lathered up he pushed the negative thoughts from his head. Perhaps things were not so bad after all, he told his reflection. Dragging the sharp razor across his face he counted his blessings: a steady job, a roof over his head, and friends who really "got" him. Best of all he was going to out with Nora again. Maybeeeee, he thought, just maybe his story would have a happy ending. Distracted by his thoughts, he clumsily nicked his face and neck as he shaved. "Damn." He reached for his towel, wiped away the blood, and continued shaving. Josh finished his shave and began brushing his teeth, as he happily continued to prep for his date.

Downstairs, Sally was sprawled out on the couch watching a bad Saturday night television lineup while Aidan sat on the chair buried in the latest Stephen King book. Aidan's head popped up from the book as he took a sniff of the air, and then resumed reading. A few seconds later he did it again eyes squeezing closed and nose wrinkling. Only this time Sally noticed and called him on it. "Aidan, what's up?"

"Huh?" he muttered, partially looking up from his book, not realizing he had made a face.

"Is something wrong?" Sally asked pointing toward her nose.

"No nothing," he replied sounding slightly confused.

"Then… what's with the face?" she asked as she circled her whole face with her finger and then gestured toward him.

Raising one eyebrow. he turned to look at her fully. "What face?"

"You know the face someone makes when the garbage needs to be taken out," she said as she wrinkled her own nose.

"Oh, that." Realization of his actions dawning on him. "It's nothing; I just thought I smelled food burning. It must be coming from the neighbors. That's all." Considering the conversation over, he turned his attention back to his book.

"Oh, okay." Sally shrugged and agreed as she went back to watching television.

Josh gave his outfit a once in the full-length mirror over before nervously bounded down the steps in an attempt to make a clean getaway. No sooner than he hit the landing was Sally was ghosting in on him.

"Oh don't you look cute. Let me see you," she said as she looked him up and down much like a proud parent, or worse yet, he thought, more like his sarcastic little sister. "Oh Aidan, doesn't Josh look so cute?" She purred. "Oh I could just eat him up!"

"Mmmhm" Aidan agreed, not bothering to look up from his book.

"Thanks….I think. Can I go now, Sally? I don't want to be late," huffed Josh.

Sniffing the air again, Aidan looked over at Josh and stood up. "Sure, but wait just a second…" Aidan piped in as he crossed the room. "Let me just…"

Fully expecting one of Aidan's unhelpful speeches, Josh interrupted, "I know…just be the wolf."

"No. Just let me get this for you," Aidan replied as he reach out to Josh's face and proceed to remove the small bits of toilet paper Josh had moistened over his shaving nicks.

"Oh right thanks," Josh nodded sheepishly as he realized how silly he must look. "Now can I go?"

"Yes, go, go! Don't be late. We'll see you later," Aidan fussed as he pushed Josh out the door and absently placed his hand and the bloody pieces of paper into his jeans pocket.

"Have fun, Josh," Sally called after him, as she too shooed Josh out the door and on his date.

Sally retuned to the couch to resume watching TV as Aidan pick up his book again. Several minutes later, Aidan made a display of yawing and stretching then deciding to call it a night.

Alone up in his room, Aidan dug into his jeans pocket to retrieve the pieces of tissue he had removed from Josh's face. Flinging himself onto his bed, he hesitantly lifted one of the pieces to his nose and sniffed it. Instantly he gagged; it smelled like blood and werewolf, a foul combination that made him think of cage fights and full moon hunting trips. He inhaled again, but this time he was prepared and found it not entirely unpleasant. Yes, it smelled like blood and werewolf, but it also smelled like Josh, and home. He lifted the small bit of paper and inhaled deeply again then he carefully placed it on the tip of his tongue and let it slowly dissolve. He tilted his head back closed his eyes and savored the earthy sweet taste of his friend.

As the small rush from the blood overtook his senses, Aidan knew what he wanted more than anything. All he needed was the right opportunity and he was prepared to wait for it. If there was one thing he was, it was patient; after all, he had an eternity. He knew it was only a matter of time.

Then one ordinary evening it happened. Josh was in the kitchen fixing dinner. He was preparing a hearty stew in the Crock-Pot®. He said it would serve as his dinner for the week. A savory concoction full of celery, potatoes, carrots, and chunks of beef meant to keep him warm during the cold Boston winter.

"Savory?" thought Aidan at least that what Josh claimed it was. Aidan was not convinced that his "all but dead taste buds" ever truly believed that anything Josh made was really edible. But being a good sport, he always played along for the benefit of normalcy that Josh put such a value on.

Tonight, however, something went wrong, and the carrots were to blame. Just as the knife was chopping along the board in smooth rhythm, the carrot rolled. "Aghhh," came a cry from the kitchen and within an instant Aidan's speed carried him from his bedroom to the doorway of the kitchen where he purposefully slowed down, to casually walk over and lean against the refrigerator.

Hovering above the offending carrot was Josh was holding his left index finger with his other hand. He was squeezing the finger tightly in order to stop the trickle of blood.

"Damn," Josh muttered to himself as he examined the wound. He looked up from his finger and jumped a mile; there was Aidan standing in the kitchen where he had not been a second ago.

"Hey," said Aidan.

"Good god Aidan…don't, don't' do that. You almost startled me to death!"

Casually and with as much self-control as he could muster, Aidan started, "Josh, you're hurt. Are you okay?" he said up righting himself off of the refrigerator.

Josh turned to fully face his friend. "Yeah I am fine, it's just a nick." Josh lied, squeezing the now oozing finger more tightly.

"Really? Because it looks kind of bad." Aidan reached out for Josh's hand. "Let me take a look."

"No. it's fine." Josh assured him, pulling his hand away like a child.

"Really?" Aidan rolled his eyes and inclined his head toward Josh's still bleeding finger.

"Really," Josh muttered as his eyes glanced down at his now gushing finger. He groped behind himself for a dishtowel to wrap it with.

"Josh, please," huffed Aidan "Let me take a look. I am a nurse remember?" Then in a smooth voice that made his friend slightly uncomfortable. "I can help. Besides, what if you need stitches?"

"Fine," Josh relented, shoving the now soaked towel wrapped finger in the direction of his friend while turning his head to look away.

Aidan held Josh's hand in his own and looked down intently as he carefully unwrapped Josh's finger. Using his thumb to wipe away the pooling blood, Aidan stared at the deep, inch plus long gash. Swallowing hard before he proclaimed, "It looks worse than I thought," as he absently brought his blood-coved thumb to his mouth and licked it as one would icing from a spoon.

Noticing Aidan's unconscious act, Josh's eyes widened in shock. Looking up from the wound, Aidan lifted his head to reveal two deep pools of black onyx. Josh was rendered speechless and could only nod as Aidan continued on about "needing stitches."

Absently licking his finger again and clearing his throat, Aidan reassured Josh "Let me get the first aid kit; I can fix this. I can stop the blee…" finally noticing the look on Josh's face for the first time Aidan furred his brow in confusion. This caused Josh to make a very slow and very deliberate gesture with his non-bleeding finger, pointing to his eyes.

Aidan tilted his head, not yet realizing the state he was in. Than he recognized the slow growing look of fear on Josh's face. Aidan released Josh's injured hand and inhaled sharply creating an "oh" sound. A bit embarrassed, he released Josh's hand and moved his own to cover up his betraying eyes. "Shit. Shit. Oh Shit! I would never..."

"I know..."

"..hurt…I'm sorry if I …" He looked away, fearing more his friend's reaction more than his own actions.

"…I know...it's okay really. It's okay, it's okay. I know it's okay…." Josh was stuttering hard and fast, not really sure who he was trying harder to reassure, himself or his room mate.

Taking a deep breath yet trembling slightly, Josh slowly reached out with his still bleeding finger and grasped Aidan's hand with his own, pulling it away from his face.

"It's okay ..really."

Locking his still black eyes with Josh's own light brown ones, midway thru the motion on instinct Aidan took Josh's hand' brought it to his mouth. Aidan slowly ran his tongue across the wound, and then tentatively placed the finger it in his mouth.

Stunned from the bold action, Josh stepped back away from the counter and moved toward the kitchen chair. When he felt it behind his legs, his knees gave way and he landed in the seat with a mindless thud.

Encouraged by Josh's lack of (complete) horror response, Aidan knelt down in front of Josh, gently grabbed his hand, and continued licking and sucking the wounded finger, drawing out even more blood. Aroused by the exotic taste of his friend, Aidan craved more. Tracing his way up from the finger with his tongue, he soon had his lips on Josh's wrist where he could feel his nervous pulse. Josh was breathing heavily from a surprising combination of fear and excitement that was radiating from both Aidan and himself.

Looking up into Josh's face Aidan's dark eyes pleaded for more. Aidan was sure he was making the same face Rebecca had when feeding from him.

"Aidan… no, don't."

Pulling back a bit and looking even deeper into his friends eyes, he desperately tried reassure him, "It's like I told you…you have to stop thinking I am going to kill you."

"…But what about …Rebecca?"

"Oh Josh," he sighed, looking down and slowly shaking his head "Rebecca never stood a chance." Not wanting to explain further he leaned in closer and intertwined his arm with Josh's arm, while running his free hand up the length of it. "But you… you're warm and alive. You're special, you're something other, different..." Putting his lips close to Josh's ear, he whispered, "…Like me." For a second, Aidan was thinking he might have gone too far, but just then…

Josh understood, and with barely the slightest nod of his head, Josh opened the floodgate. He scarcely registered the mischievous smile and a lightening white flash of fang when less than second later, he felt the quick sharp pain of the puncture as everything in his vision faded to black.

Josh came to what could have been hours later, but was in reality only seconds. He was surprised to find Aidan positivity giddy, and smiling in a way Josh had never seen before. He was even more surprised to find him sitting straddled across the chair and on Josh's lap, with red and eager lips tracing over his own. So happy was Aidan in his satisfied state that he wanted to share the experience. Nipping into his own flesh he dribbled a few drops onto Josh's face. Josh was repulsed by this action, but his inner wolf smelled the strangely scented blood and licked it up, its tongue excited to taste. Not satisfied with the exchange and wanting something more the wolf bucked up against the vampire in frustration. Aidan felt like an ass realizing how selfish he had been. Wanting to please his friend, he began rolling his hips against Josh's growing need. When a soft moan escaped Josh, Aidan let his body slide down the length of Josh's onto the floor in front of him.

Skilled hands traced the outline of his jeans and than made quick work of the belt and zipper. Reaching out and deftly grabbing his friend he proceeded to do the one thing that all vampires excel at. He sucked.

Josh was being taken to the most wonderful places, he moaned and moved like he was in heaven. And just when he thought it could not get better. He felt something smooth and sharp graze against his most sensitive of skin. This brought him to a place that he had never seen or even knew existed. Aidan, encourage by this reaction, ever so carefully used both fangs to slide down the length of his friend and was abruptly rewarded with the most magnificent growls as he eagerly lapped up his reward.

Aidan relaxed, his fangs retracted and his eyes cleared; he lingered in the moment resting his head on Josh's lap. Lazily wrapping his arms around Josh's waist he enjoyed the warmth of the embrace and dreaded what he was sure was to come next.

Tossing his head back "Whoa...that was incredible" exhaled Josh absently running his hands over Aidan's back.

"Mmm hmm" sighed Aidan

Bolting upright in his chair, it hit him. "You just…we just… but I am not..." The wolf's desires were gone, and the panic exploded into Josh's voice.

"It'sokey" the words slurred out as Aidan untangled himself from his friend. Sitting back on his heels, he wiped the back of his hand across his bloodied mouth, swaying slightly from the high of live blood as he stood up. "You're not. It's nothing; really…" He shrugged, moving to the sink to wash up while turning his back to Josh, giving him time to regroup himself. "…It was just a moment."

Aidan turned back around, leaning against the counter, to see Josh only slightly more composed but still wide eyed and stunned. He was sitting in the chair shaking and looking like he wanted to melt out of existence, "But .."

Aidan, smiling broadly in his usual confident and casual way moved from the sink and stood beside the still seated Josh. Placing a comforting hand on his trembling shoulder, he explained "Josh, life is of a series of moments…" he paused, closing his eyes. "**My life**...is a never ending timeline of one after another. Not every moment has to mean something." Aidan moved away to make his exit. "Sometimes it's best not to think too hard about it and to try to enjoy the ones you can."

Alone in the kitchen, Josh remained seated in the chair still in awe and unable to move; he glanced down, looking, at his wounds; he smiled a bit because he could help notice since he moved into this house that some of them had already begun to heal.


End file.
